Years ago I dreamed of the lush green subterranean
sanctuaries I’d read about in George Sand’s Emmanuel Swedenborg influenced novels.
Today, my own fantasy of secret grottos is emerging from
Kevin’s brickwork. I can just feel a fairy tale coming on.
Curvy in nature like a steam through the woods, the grotto
walls descend and rise in a flow as graceful as rolling hills. Morning’s first breath of fresh air comes to
mind. And here I am thinking ivy and maybe
a faint waterfall feature…all hidden away from the mighty southern summer sun.
Here Kevin is filling
cinderblocks with concrete and setting the pillar foundations that will support
the deck coming off the kitchen and living room above.
Each pillar base consists of 3 threaded 3/3 to 5/8 anchor
studs with nuts. The nuts are the
leveling agents.
The pillars are specially selected logs; however trees as
they grow towards the may bend and sway and not be completely straight.
Using a template matching the pattern of the 3 anchor studs
Kevin will drill holes into the bottom of the each log. From there he will set each one using the
leveling nuts to align each log vertically.
In tune with the waves of brickwork the log columns are 7 to
8 inches diameter and range from 32 inches to 6 feet in length.
Next the headers that go between the pillars are repurposed
from an old house torn down just round the corner. He will notch the top of each pillar at the
appropriate height. The 12-inch
floor/deck joists will sit atop the headers and cantilever out between 1 to 2
feet.
~Cheryl
